mediamatters

Despite a very public announcement by News Corp. owner Rupert Murdoch, to reduce his corporation's carbon footprint and encourage companies who work with them to do the same, Fox news continues to feature opinions that challenge, ridicule and misrepresent any forward thinking around combating global warming.

The latest attack comes from host Sean Hannity who calls carbon offsets a 'sham' and a 'crock' and, suggests that purchasing offsets is akin to buying one's way out of committing adultery. On the other hand, Rupert Murdoch has endorsed carbon offsets, saying that they are a measure to be taken when emissions are unavoidable.

I wonder if there's anyway to offset Hannity's verbal pollution? Perhaps Murdoch should address reducing his appearance entirely and that might legitimize an intention that we've yet to see any evidence of on Fox. Thanks to Media Matters for the editorial.

Check out the newly launched “Climate of Smear: Global Warming Misinformation” section on Media Matters website. For the latest outrageous claims made by skeptic favourites such as Fox News pseudo-journalists and Glenn Beck, mediamatters.org is an excellent resource exposing content so blatantly manipulated that it would be funny if it wasn't so scary.

Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.

There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.